What It Takes
by xheroesofolympusx
Summary: Discontinued.


**What It Takes: Chapter One.**

**Summary: In a state of Military schools, there are no allies, only rivals. Students competing in every field that includes competition. But every school has a rival that feeds on the others defeat/But every school has its main prey, and will do anything to make sure they are defeated. Students of Greece Military School, one of the two most prestigious schools in the state, have their eyes set out for the Romans of Italy School. The Greeks past, present and future enemy._  
_**

**Published: December 15, 2012.**

Annabeth stuffed her textbooks into her locker as the eighth period bell rang, liberating everybody from school. Everybody except the Junior volleyball team. Students filed passed her in chaos towards the exits, talking about the Winter formal, or the annual state singing show, which, now that she was a Junior, was forced to participate in if she wanted to graduate next year. Sighing, she pulled her gray backpack off its hook on the right, slinging it over her shoulder, then closing the locker door with a slam.

The hallways of the vast school were close to vacant now, the soft patter of footsteps occasionally on the marble tile were the only sounds Annabeth could hear. But soon, the sound of footsteps began to increase, muffled by obscure voices that echoed off the walls. Voices that Annabeth had to listen to everyday. As she listened, her friends' conversations became clearer.

"Uggh, I don't wanna go to practice," Katie Gardner grumbled, throwing a mini tantrum. "Why is it that only A team has practice on Fridays?"

"Oh, stop complaining," Piper McLean told her friend, patting her on the shoulder. "Only thirty minutes of practice, I think you'll survive."

The two of them finally reached where Annabeth was standing, watching her friends' argument with quiet amusement. They had this dispute every Friday.

"Hey guys," she greeted them.

"Hey," Piper said.

"Hi," Katie replied.

The three friends just stared at each other in silence for a minute, trying to stifle a random laugh. They all knew they couldn't stand silence; not just because they were all ADHD (like most of the school) but also because it was secretly a contest to see who could act like a Roman the most.

The Romans were the students who went to Italy Military School, the rival school of Greece Military School about a mile away. The students there were posh, perfect and arrogant, competing against Greece Academy with every chance they get. Every school in the state was a Military school, and all twenty seven were competitors. But like every school that competes, there was always a main rival, and for Greece Military School, Italy was their Hitler. But the students who attended Italy weren't called the "Italians" (like Greece's students were called the "Greeks") they were called the Romans, Greece's past, present and future enemies. And worst of all, next week, the two soccer teams have their first game against each other.

Finally, Katie couldn't take it anymore. She burst out laughing, Annabeth and Piper quickly mimicking her.

"You lose," Piper said, shoving Katie playfully against the locker. Katie pushed her back.

Just then, one of the Freshman teachers walked by, glaring at the three Juniors like they were some kind of gum stuck under her shoe. Mrs. Kranzberg. The History of Athens teacher. She stopped abruptly in front of them and scowled. "Are you girls supposed to be here?" Mrs. Kranzberg asked in her usual annoying voice.

Piper rolled her eyes, while Katie took great interest in her shoes. No one in school like Mrs. Kranzberg. She was 5'6" of the most annoying traits. She was one of those teachers that whatever you did, you always got in trouble for it, even if the punishment isn't needed. Whenever she asked you a question and the answer you give her is one that she _assumes _is a lie, with absolutely no proof and is most of the time wrong, you get to have a long steady detention with her, writing 'I will not lie to my teacher' a hundred times. The three of them would know, they've all gotten caught by her at least once in the past year. Every student had.

"Well?" Kranzberg demanded, glowering up at them. "Gonna give me an answer?"

Annabeth stepped up. "We were just about to head to Volleyball practice, ma'am," she said as politely as possible.

"Then why aren't you there but here messing around in the hallways? This is a school young ladies, not a playground. If I see you three messing around here again.." She paused, zeroing in on each of them independently. "You know the consequences, don't you?"

They nodded.

"Good." She gave them a fake smile, then marched towards the main office down the broad hall, her heels clicking due to the impact.

"I hate that lady," Piper muttered after Mrs. Kranzberg was out of earshot. "How is she even a "Mrs" in the first place?"

Annabeth shrugged, then stared down the hallway towards the gym. "C'mon," she said to the both of them. "She's gonna be patrolling the halls again any minute now. Better get to the gym before she comes back. I wanna start working on my spikes again anyway."

Once changed into their practice uniforms and ready, Piper, Annabeth and Katie each grabbed a volleyball off the cart and began practicing on their own along with the other team members.

Piper started to practice bumping with Sarabelle, a girl with dirty blonde hair and light brown eyes. She bumped the ball perfectly into the air, making it land in a perfect position onto Piper's arms. She bumped it back.

"So," Sarabelle began, as she bumped the ball into the air again, "are you going to formal this year?"

Her partner scoffed. "No choice," she said, catching the ball instead of bumping it again. "My mom's in charge of the formals for Italy and Greece every year. Besides, formal is one of the many things we have to participate in so we can graduate. Wanna practice setting?"

Sarabelle nodded, and Piper set the ball over to her. She passed it back easily. "Don't we get assigned partners for Winter formal?"

"Yup." Her eyes were focused on the ball.

"And your mom picks who your partner is?"

"Yep."

"Think your mom's gonna actually think about who she sets us up with?"

"Oh, she will," Piper said. "She'll make sure your night is unforgettable."

Hazel Levesque washed her face with cold water in the girl's bathroom of the second floor, staring at her damp reflection in the mirror in front of her. School had ended ten minutes ago, and instead of meeting her brother secretly at Greece Military School like every other Friday, she was supposed to be in Principal Lupa's office with the rest of the Junior soccer team in ten minutes sharp.

Sighing, the brunette pulled off a piece paper from the stack on the shelf next to the sink to dry her hands and face. Tossing it into the trashbin, she glanced at herself again in the mirror, straighting her purple and blue tie, then headed out the door.

Her footsteps echoed loudly in the silent corridor, every move she made sounded blaring and noisy. She trudged down the massive staircase, not a single sound in the school except for her footsteps and the brisk air that came from the open windows to keep her company. Stepping off the last step, she spotted her teammates lined up against the wall beside Principal Lupa's office, standing as still as statues. She walked towards them.

As she neared, Gwen spotted her and waved, a smile creeping onto her face. "hey, where've you been? Lupa said to meet here as soon as the bell rang."

Hazel shrugged. "Had to wake myself up first. You know how Lupa is about showing weakness."

Gwen laughed just as Principal Lupa emerged from behind her office door, her face expressionless, her eyes like the ones of angry volves. "Well then," she said, her voice neither welcoming or resentful. It was just toneless. "Come on in. We have much to discuss."

The entire soccer team stood in a straight line facing the principal's mahogony desk, which was covered with papers organized neat and nothing a single pen out of place. Behind the desk stood a large bookcase that matched the desk, documentaries, textbooks and other things that every student knew were ancient, but with the way Lupa placed it in her orderly fashion, it looked untouched and intact. Not one speck of dust lingered in the entire office.

Lupa made her way into the chair and sat down elegantly; the eleven of them stood unmoving-the way they were taught to do in front of the principal.

"Good afternoon, students," she began, folding her hands onto her lap. "You all are probably wondering why you have been summoned here today."

Half of them nodded, the other staying in position.

Lupa's eyes bore into them as if she was reaching inside their souls, reading their thoughts. "Winter is nearing," she explained, "and you are all Juniors, meaning you will graduate the Summer after this. But in order to do such, you must meet the state's requirements. Do you students know what the requirements are?"

This time, all the students nodded.

"Good," Lupa continued. "Now, to the actual matter that is the cause of this meeting is next week. As I have just said, Winter is nearing, which means the matches are approaching as are the activities that require the company of people who...Well, don't see things the way we do." She paused to let it sink into their minds, then carried on. "What this means is that from this point forward there will be on quarrelling, no controversy of any type and no dissension. No exceptions. Am I understood?" Everyone knew it wasn't a question.

"Very well, then." She sat up straighter in her chair. "Any questions?"

Madison, a girl with strawberry blonde hair raised her hand, stepping up. "Who decides our partners for the formal?"

Lupa stared at her before saying, "The same as every year: Mrs. Aphrodite, or as I am used to when she and I were in school, Venus." Madison nodded, then resumed her place back in line. "Anymore?" No one answered the call. "You are dismissed."

The students filed out of the office in a single file, and as they stepped over the threshold, Madison muttered to them, "great. A Greek's mother is planning our formal. This should be good."

* * *

**DEDICATED TO WINONABCD. The best writing partner to ever exist. You are awesome. Me and Sarah have been really close since this summer and today's her birthday and since we're basically penpals which means I can't exactly GIVE her a birthday present in person, this is it! What It Takes dedicated to her! Happy birthday! :D**

**Hey guysssss! Long time, no see, huh? I have missed you guys sooo much! School has been a natural pain in the butt, I swear. And many people who have asked my age and I have ignored you (I am so sorry) I will answer you now. Twelve. I am twelve. Seventh grade. Not really a shocker, is it? Lol. This was my first year in middle school (my district's weird so you're middle school experience is 7-8th grade) and it has been absoutely hectic, no joke. I made the Tennis team, I take almost all Pre-AP classes, I just finished being in the musical at my school (that I didn't even try out for) nominated to be in Student Council, and don't even get me started on Church. But my school did the LITTLE MERMAID this year! The. Little. Mermaid. Under The Sea. Triton. And most of you knowing what an obsessed freak I am over Percy Jackson went a bit insane. Haha. Sigh. I would've tried out for Ariel, but unfortunately, I'm not a redhead or even close. Haha. You guys really didn't need to know that crap, did you? XD **

**But anyway, I would like to announce the fact that I will no longer be writing fanfiction corresponding to the actual story anymore. Which means, for example, Percy Jackson. I will not be writing anything part of the demigod world, or snippets pertaining to the vague part of the story. In short, I will be writing AU only. Alternate Universe. That's it. Sorry, guys, but after reading the Mark of Athema and it's magnificent ending, it made me second guess myself on Fanfiction. So, from now on, I'm going to only be writing only stories that don't pertain to the demigod life. I can't even BEGIN to explain what the Mark of Athena did to me. I LITERALLY can't.**

**Oh, and I almost forgot! Yes, this story's main sport is soccer, like Take Me Higher by leblover. I am aware of that, but I swear on the River Styx that was not my intention. At all. None. This story was just going to be a singing story with rivals, but then my friend Kayla's birthday was on Tuesday and she plays about every sport in school...TADA. It's her present also. But I promise, promise, promise that this story is WAY different. I swear it won't be cliché also. Or I'll try at least. **

**Happy birthday again, Sarah! :D You are seriously the best writing partner a girl like me could have! *heart***


End file.
